Malawi woman gives birth on public bus

A 21-year-old woman, Saturday night gave birth to a baby boy at Dedza in a bus belonging to Premier Bus Service which was coming from Blantyre to Lilongwe.

According to an eye witness, Alex Banda who was also travelling in the same bus, the woman, Maress Patrick started manifesting signs of discomfort as she complained of stomach pains immediately after the bus had left Ntcheu Bus Stage.

“Some passengers suspected that Maress Patrick was suffering from malaria as she was vomiting. She was then given some pain killers and after the long-running suffering it was established that the woman was experiencing labour pains,” said Banda.

Banda said the labour pains continued and the situation prompted the bus driver to stop the bus just between Lizulu and Dedza.

Newly born: A woman gave birth in the back of a bus

“With a help of a Kamuzu College of Nursing student who works at Ntcheu District Hospital and was in the bus, the woman managed to deliver a baby boy safely,” Banda said.

The District Health Officer for Dedza, Dr. Bessie Phiri, confirmed the development and said both the woman and the baby are in good condition.

“The baby was weighing two kilogrammes which is almost normal. Meanwhile, the woman has been discharged from the hospital and has since left for her home village in Mzimba,” said Dr. Phiri.

The woman said she is extremely grateful for the kind-heartedness of the other passengers, the bus driver, and the nursing student.